Secretary Julián Castro is trying to swim through the crowded sea of democratic presidential candidates, and made multiple stops in North Texas Monday. At one of them, hundreds of people attended a town hall event at Collin College in Frisco.
Hoping to capitalize on his strong debate performance, Castro said he wanted to keep the momentum going as the expansive roster whittles down to the fall debates.
He said he planned to keep fundraising, organizing and staying in the media spotlight.
"I'm going to keep talking about what we need to do to make sure that everyone can prosper in this country and I believe that I'm going to be there," he said.
Castro said as of Sunday, he had more than 100,000 unique donors and, as he told the crowd, a unique message.
"Those of y'all who have followed the campaign know that I've been talking about the need to move forward as one nation with one destiny," he said.
The husband and father of two touted his executive experience and track record. Things like expanding all-day pre-K as mayor of San Antonio and serving in President Obama's cabinet.
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"I can win Texas," he said as the crowd erupted in applause. "I can win here, in this state."
Castro hit on closing corporate tax loopholes, he took questions on climate change and his gun policy. The latter question came from Laura Booher. who had just driven up from Dallas after comforting the family who lost a loved one to gun violence.
"I think he did a good job answering it, mentioning specifics," she said.
The native Texan said he supported a limit on magazine capacity, renewing the ban on assault weapons, universal background checks and laws to prevent people who commit domestic violence from ever getting their hands on guns. He also said he wanted to address the mental health component.
"We need to end the stigma around mental health," he said.
Castro hammered on his immigration plan, and said he could stem the flow of migrants at the border and in tent cities.
"It's a cost not only to the pocket book, but to the soul. To the soul of this country," he said. "As I've said many times, I really don't want to make this country anything again. I want to make us better than we've ever been."
